President Macron visits Hanoi, opens Southeast Asia tour

THE HANOI TIMES — French President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron arrived in Hanoi on Monday, May 26, marking the start of his official tour of Southeast Asia. The visit demonstrates France’s growing appreciation of Vietnam, following the elevation of bilateral ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership late last year.

Macron was welcomed with a state ceremony in the capital this morning. He is set to hold talks with Vietnamese President Luong Cuong and meet with key leaders, including General Secretary of the Communist Party To Lam and National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man.

Later, Macron will visit Indonesia and Singapore to present France as a trading partner for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) amid US President Trump’s tough tariff policies.

Shortly after arriving in Hanoi late on Sunday, the French president, on his X account, described his visit to Vietnam as “strategic” and reiterated that his state visit to the country is aimed at strengthening the relations in key sectors namely defense, innovation, energy transition, and cultural exchanges.

The visit of French President Emmanuel Macron and his spouse is significant for bilateral relations, especially following the upgrade of ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during General Secretary To Lam’s visit to France in October 2024.

Vietnamese Ambassador to France Dinh Toan Thang said that the two sides are expected to discuss a range of sectors and specific initiatives, with a focus on trade and investment, while deepening cooperation in defense and security, innovation, science and technology, education and training, and healthcare.

The anticipated signing of new cooperation agreements during the visit is set to motivate the partnership and provide a strong legal foundation for sustained collaboration in the years ahead.